Bushmills: Giant's Causeway, Culture and Nature

Bushmills combines an extraordinary landscape with an impressive history of technology and the local area. The Giant's Causeway is a UNESCO World Heritage Site on 44 Causeway Road in Bushmills. Around 40,000 basalt columns, formed more than 60 million years ago through volcanic activity, define this remarkable place. At the same time, Bushmills lies in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty – a combination that places cultural and nature experiences close alongside one another.

Basalt Columns and Trails at the Giant's Causeway

Different types of routes are available for planning your day. The Giant's Causeway Blue Trail is less than a mile long and leads directly to the famous basalt columns. The Giant's Causeway Green Trail, by contrast, is a two-mile cliff-top path towards Runkerry. Along the way, there are views of the famous stones and opportunities to observe coastal birds. At the Giant's Causeway, you can walk across the basalt columns and explore rugged coastal paths. The two routes therefore have different focuses: the Blue Trail concentrates on the direct route to the stones, while the Green Trail places greater emphasis on the landscape and observing coastal birds.

The Giant's Causeway Visitor Experience complements your visit with tours led by experienced storytellers, audio guides in 11 languages and interactive exhibition areas. Those travelling with several generations or wishing to combine different interests can choose between exploring the landscape and engaging more closely with explanations of the site.

Whisky, Food and Living Local History

The Old Bushmills Distillery is also one of the area's main visitor attractions. Tours are currently available and can be booked online. The Bushmills Conservation Area also focuses on a larger group of listed buildings and other elements of the cultural heritage. These include older parts of the Bushmills Distillery as well as the remains of mill races. Overall, Bushmills has more than 90 listed buildings.

The history of the connection with the Giant's Causeway can be traced through the Giant's Causeway Tramway. It opened in 1883 and was the world's first tramway system to be powered by hydroelectricity. In 1887, the line was extended from Bushmills to the Giant's Causeway. Today, the Giant's Causeway & Bushmills Railway allows visitors in Bushmills to board a train that recreates the journey once operated by the Causeway Tramway. The Bushmills Salmon and Whiskey Festival is also part of the village's annual events calendar. For a culinary experience, Dine Around Bushmills offers the opportunity to sample food from several restaurants in one evening; various restaurants serve seasonal produce from the region.

Getting There and Choosing Your Accommodation

A park-and-ride service to the Giant's Causeway is available from Dundarave Car Park in Bushmills. Another option is to take the train to Coleraine and then continue by Ulsterbus route 172. When searching for a holiday apartment or holiday home in Bushmills, it is therefore worth deciding in advance what kind of daily itinerary you want: Would you like to focus on the basalt columns and trails, discover historic transport and listed buildings, or combine tours with culinary offerings? The answer will help you choose accommodation suited to your planned experiences, without limiting your stay to just one attraction.

More Places for Planning Your Trip

For your further search, you can also consider Ballintoy, Waterfoot and Ballycastle.

For the overview of the wider area: Moyle.